My Favorite Things Monday

Last week was just a little nutty around here. And it just flew by! Suddenly it was Friday again - thank goodness, I love Friday!

Anyway, keeping with my little bloggy tradition, I'm posting another of my favorite things. These gorgeous blue glass candle holders.

 

I took this picture directly from Pier1's website because I can't be bothered to find my camera and the one off my blackberry just isn't doing them justice.

I love blue glass.  Love, love, love it.  Its that just-right tone of aqua that makes my heart swoon every time I look at them.  Until recently, things like these candle holders fell strictly under the category of "I love that but its not practical", but then I started my campaign that little things make a house a home and those babies were mine!  I even paid full price for them (unheardof).  I think they're on clearance now, but I have no regrets.


In fact, I've been stalking some blue glass mason jars on ebay...maybe they'll show up here one Monday.

My Favorite Things

One of the things that has been hardest for me as a military wife, has been our move away from our family and friends.  I know that I am very lucky in that I've only done one move, that I get to visit home often, and that I can stay with my husband.  I'm fond of saying that "home is where my husband is" and I believe that with all my heart.  But I still get homesick quite a bit.

To remedy that I'm going to start focusing on the little things that I love here.  They may be an activity, a place, or the little things in our house that make it home.  I think that its important to focus on the good instead of the bad and its high-time I start doing it.  So once a week, I"ll post one of my favorite things.  I hope that some day others will want to join me and I can add a Mr Linky to these posts.

So in honor of that, here is one of my favorite things...picnicking in the spring....

Oh hiiiiii

Hi there....oops....I guess it doesn't count when I just think of posts in my head but don't actually write or publish them....will have to fix that.

Per the Planner

One of my favorite things about a new year is getting a new planner. When I was still in school I would actually get a new one both in August and December. I don’t have that excuse currently, but I do start hunting down my planner for the new year in October. Before I start Christmas shopping even.

This year, I’m using the MyAgenda by MomAgenda. I lurv it. I did not lurv the shipping price or 8 days from shipping date wait for it appear at my door. But the amount I lurv it overcomes all that. True lurv conquers all.

The MyAgenda is set up with the week spread over two pages and 5 rows. It also has monthly views, includes a “My Essentials” for key addresses, phone numbers, important dates etc, and is set up for you to start writing in events for next year. But, for now I’m focusing on the weekly view and my 5 blocks…

The top row is labeled my week and has space for appointments, the other 4 blocks are blank to be broken up as desired. One of the reasons I love it is because of this – I can change the planner as life changes. For now, my 4 blanks are work, the side business, to do (for personal and home life) and exercise.

But you know what, y’all? Do you know what my exercise block says for today? It says “C25k, Week 5, Day 1”. Guys, I haven’t run since December 14th. That’s just over a solid month of not running. And I’m down right scared. I’m so scared, that I’ve been putting off my triumphant return to the treadmill off for a solid week now. You know, because if I just ignore it, it’ll go away or get better, right?

But, my agenda, my pretty Caribbean Sea blue agenda, with my name in silver embossed on the cover, says that this is what I have to do…who am I to disobey? She’s a harsh taskmaster, y’all, harsh.

Proof of My Insanity

I just lint rolled our duvet cover. And when I was done, I wasn't satisfied, so I did it again.

Future Trophy Wife

A few summers ago I was wandering through a beach shop and came across a trinket I wanted my husband, then fiancé, to buy me. It was a keychain, or drink coozie, or bookmark, or something emblazoned with “Future Trophy Wife”. I knew right then and there that that was my goal and I wanted the pretty thing to remind me of my new mantra.

And I know that sounds sort of pitiful, but it truly is my goal. It’s not that I don’t think I’m an excellent catch. I’m smart, kind, funny, clever, charming, hard-working, a great cook and baker. Some days I even think I’m pretty. Oh, and did I mention modest? I’m definitely modest. But I’m not the type of girl that the average person on the street would give a second glance.

I remember some years ago, at a bar with my cousin and his wife, this drunk guy came stumbling across the room to ask her to dance. She sort of indicated my cousin, who had already intimidated the bouncer to get me in (I may have been slightly underage at the time) and said, “no, but thank you”. The drunk then staggered to my cousin and pulled back his fist. His friends starting yelling at him to stop and my cousin braced to be hit, but instead the guy shook his hand and said, “Man, she’s amazing” and walked away. Now, don’t get me wrong, I have no desire be treated as an object or a possession. But knowing someone had said that about me – well it would certainly cheer me up on days when I was down.

When we first moved to Wyoming, I let my fitness and eating habits slip. I was depressed and lonely and the one thing I could do that made me less homesick was eat the things that reminded me of home. But then I figured out that being lonely and homesick AND out of shape wasn’t any better than just lonely and homesick. So this year, it stops.

I started the couch to 5k training program this fall. I didn’t quite finish it before going home for Christmas, but I did get to the point where I could run for 20 minutes straight (huge milestone for me, by the way). I’m going to get back to it and then make running a 5k a regular part of my routine. I want to then train for a 10k, a 10 miler, and a half marathon. I want to start bike-riding again. And if you read my previous post, you know I’m excited about the veggies and healthy eating. I’m excited and I’m ready. I’m also motivated by a couple of family weddings coming up in the spring. I AM a future trophy wife.

It has occurred to me though, since spotting that little thing that I was probably not the intended audience for it. I can’t imagine that the maker was trying to be inspirational to women who needed a little push into a healthier lifestyle. I actually suspect it was meant for tweens and teenagers to suggest or advertise their future “career”. And that sort of sickens me. I really hope I’m wrong about that. Regardless, I’m still grateful for the inspiration it gave me.

I Suppose It's Best that I'm not a Vegan...

What is it about my parents’ house that makes me forget what a vegetable is? It really makes no sense. At home I manage 5-6 servings a day. Add to that the 3-4 servings of fruit I eat and you might think I was some sort of nutritional goddess.

But when we visit my folks, not so much. We were there for a solid 3 weeks and I averaged mayve 1 serving a fruit a day and half a serving of vegetables. Truly pitiful.
It is so funny to me how such a little thing like that can throw my eating off so completely. It’s not like we’re truly guests and I have say in what groceries get bought and suppers are made. But nonetheless, I am veggie-less.

Maybe it’s just easy to fall into childhood eating habits where food is safe and frequently canned. It works for them, who am I to suggest we sub some spinach for the biscuits? Or maybe, because I’m no at a perfect weight, I’m embarrassed to suggest a healthy change?

Whatever the answer is, my fridge, abundant with fresh produce is the one thing about Wyoming I missed over our holiday break. Bring on the veggies!